But at Tennessee, there have been too many recent cases of “day-to-day” stretching into weeks or even becoming “season-ending.”

Tennessee fans shouldn’t assume the worst when it comes to injuries, though. Don't stray into Voodoo Land. It’s not as though the Vols have been cursed.

And there’s nothing in the Neyland Stadium or Haslam Field turf that would make UT players more susceptible to injuries or illness. If there were, a coach as thorough and detail-oriented as Butch Jones would have found it.

Yet no matter how many times Dobbs carried the ball or how many times blockers double-teamed Barnett amid a crowd of 300-pounders near the line of scrimmage, both players held up for the 13-game season.